College Green, Public park in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom
College Green, also known as Abingdon Green, is a public park in the City of Westminster, London. It consists of a flat, rectangular lawn of short green grass bordered by tall stone buildings and a high wall of dark, rough stone with a shadowed arched opening.
The site was originally a bank of the River Thames that flooded with the tide, separated from the abbey's College Garden by a medieval wall and watergate. In the 1960s, an underground car park was built beneath it, and the green was created on its roof.
The green is a favourite backdrop for television interviews with Members of Parliament, and you may see camera crews set up on the grass. The name comes from the collegiate church of Westminster Abbey, which includes Westminster School.
The park is open at all times and has no gates, so you can walk in freely. It is a short walk from Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, making it a convenient spot to pause during a day of sightseeing.
The park sits on the roof of a two-storey underground car park, a detail easy to miss while walking on the grass. Henry Moore's bronze sculpture Knife Edge Two Piece 1962–65 stands in the gardens, adding a modern touch to the green.
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